A wide range of identification devices for switch cabinets for attaching identification plates to switch cabinets for the purpose of precise identification have become known in the prior art. A drawback of the known identification devices is that the identification plates generally have to have precisely defined dimensions, since the bearing and supporting surfaces are tailored exactly to the identification plates provided in each case. It is also possible with the known identification devices for the identification plates to be incorrectly inserted in a crooked manner when being mounted, if, for example, one side of an identification plate is mistakenly pushed below the provided supporting surface when mounted. Mounting then has to be repeated or, if incorrect mounting goes unnoticed, there is the risk of losing said plate.